Pauline Hanson's stunt

Pauline Hanson's stunt

Teenager's nightmare ends

Madeleine Pulver's nightmare ordeal ended just after midnight.

The 18-year-old reportedly made a phone call to say the intruder had left a ransom note before fleeing the house.

Early this morning, police confirmed the device did not contain explosives. Assistant Police Commissioner Mark Murdoch called the episode a "very, very elaborate hoax" but defended the strong police reaction.

"We had to treat it seriously until we could prove otherwise and that’s exactly what we did and that’s why it took so long," he said.

He praised police, including two negotiators and two bomb disposal technicians, for the delicate operation to free her. He said international experts had been consulted, including the British military, as well as experts in Canberra.

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''She is safe and sound. She is being reunited with her parents as we speak,'' he said. ''She's good. She's in good hands.''

Madeleine's father, William Pulver, waits at the scene last night with shocked family and friends. Photo: Brendan Esposito

Well-to-do neighbours, who include the racing identity Gai Waterhouse, the former Wallabies captain Phil Kearns and former News Ltd chief executive Ken Cowley, were ordered away from the police cordon.

Members of the Pulver family gathered outside their home yesterday afternoon as the technicians in body armour entered the property.

Ms Pulver's Facebook page was flooded with messages from friends. ''Maddie, thinking of you,'' said one message on Ms Pulver's page. ''Should never happen to someone as good as you.'' Another read: ''Absolutely horrible. I hope you are OK.'' Another still said: ''You're so brave. It will be ok.''

Neighbours and friends milling outside the police perimeter last night said Ms Pulver was given food and water while police worked on the suspected bomb.

A neighbour said she had guests for lunch at the time of the incident. "As they were leaving we saw a mass of police screaming down the road and coming in," she said. "Police rescue and fire engines, and policemen on motorbikes - just masses of police."

Mr Pulver is the chief executive of Appen Butler Hill, a linguistic solutions company whose clients include Microsoft, IBM, Fujitsu, Hitachi, Toshiba and Motorola. He and his wife, Belinda, have three sons as well as their daughter.